Short answer: the Edifier Airpulse A100 for its driver design, the iLoud MTM MKII for room correction. The A100 pairs a horn-loaded ribbon tweeter with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer, but its on-axis deviation trails the pricier options and it has no app EQ or DSP, only rear-panel knobs. The MTM MKII undercuts the $999.99 A100 at $799.99 and includes an ARC room-correction microphone, though its native treble tuning runs about 3dB hot on-axis.
What the Edifier Airpulse A100 gets right: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $999.99. Watch for: On-axis deviation trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote.
On the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII side: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor rated at 100W per speaker with XLR input, sold as a pair with an ARC room-correction microphone included. Set against that: Native treble tuning still runs about 3dB hot on-axis; the back-panel -3dB treble switch overcorrects, and roughly -1.5dB via external EQ works better.
Buy the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Airpulse A100 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Airpulse A100 | IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 per pair | $799.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #26 of 68 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #17 of 68 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX | XLR |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer | 2x 3.5” (89mm) woofers, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX | - |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs (11 kg) each | 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) each |
| Amplifier Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) | 100w Per Speaker |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 11.1” x 10” (160 x 283 x 255 mm) each | 10.4”H x 5.1”W x 6.3”D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.56 | 5.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.08 | 7.44 |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | Yes | No |
| Coaxial Input | Yes | No |
| USB Input | Yes | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 112.5dB peak (manufacturer specified) |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Airpulse A100: $999.99 per pair Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: ASR’s Klippel data gives a 2.9dB midrange span and scores of 4.56 standalone and 7.08 with an ideal subwoofer. The ribbon tweeter and five-inch woofer provide a distinctive compact powered system, with remote control and a subwoofer output simplifying everyday use. Measured bass extension of 63.0Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Bass reaches -3dB around 63Hz, so lower notes need a subwoofer for full weight. Listening-window narrow-band deviation of 0.419 shows more local tonal variation than the leading monitors. Rear tone controls are less flexible than parametric EQ or room correction. Neither the ribbon tweeter nor a directivity-index summary establishes uniquely wide or perfectly controlled dispersion. The remote cannot reach the rear bass and treble knobs, and there is no app EQ.
Full Airpulse A100 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Coaxial Input | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 11.1” x 10” (160 x 283 x 255 mm) each |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.56 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.08 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs (11 kg) each |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII: $799.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Older model: the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM (ranked lower, rated 4.1/5).
Pros: Erin’s MKII measurements give a 2.2dB midrange span, a -3dB point around 53Hz, and preference scores of 5.22 standalone and 7.44 with an ideal subwoofer. The compact layout and included calibration microphone suit a close desktop setup. Existing tests show useful room-peak correction and good harmonic-distortion behavior at moderate levels. Measured bass extension of 52.7Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Some excess treble remains in the native tuning. The two-woofer MTM arrangement narrows the vertical listening window, so ear height and orientation matter. Multitone distortion rises strongly when pushed toward 96dB/1m; the review favors moderate listening levels, and a subwoofer does not eliminate all midrange output limits. These are MKII results, not measurements of the original MTM. Treble runs about 3dB hot on-axis; the rear -3dB treble switch overcorrects, and about -1.5dB of external EQ works better.
Full IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 100w Per Speaker |
| App | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4”H x 5.1”W x 6.3”D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 3.5” (89mm) woofers, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Maximum SPL | 112.5dB peak (manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.44 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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